Various types of composites are used in engineering practice. The most important are fibrous compositesy laminates and materials with a more complicated geometry of reinforcement in the form of short fibres and particles of various properties DEGREES shapes and sizes. The aim of course was to understand the basic principles of damage growth and fracture processes in ceramic, polymer and metal matrix composites. Nowadays, it is widely recognized that important macroscopic properties like the macroscopic stiffness and strength, are governed by processes that occur at one to several scales below...

The IUTAM Symposium on "Multiscale Modelling of Damage and Fracture Processes in Composite Materials" was held in Kazimierz Dolny, Poland, 23 -27 May 2005. The Symposium was attended by 48 persons from 15 countries. During 5 day meeting, 4 keynote lectures and 39 invited lectures were presented. This volume constitutes the Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium. The main aim of the Symposium was to discuss the basic principles of damage growth and fracture processes in different types of composites: ceramic, polymer and metal matrix composites, cement and bituminous composites and wood. Nowadays,...